Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-04
RAMBLES In JAPAN.
A GLANCE AT JAPANESE THEA
TIERS AND STAGE TRAPPINGS.
Fire-ProOf Buildings for Valuable
Christianity Versus Beer
Visits TO Schools.
Icorrespondence RrcoFp.uvoN.l

Correspondence RECORD UNION
4 hatter and more uninteresting city
geographically could not be foued than
Ozaka. There is no rise except where
the castle stands, and that scarcely de-
serves the name of hill, though it is so
situated as TO give a fine view OF the coun-
try back to the mountains aud out over
the bay. People who complain of the dis
comforts of japanese inns and go to
ill-kept, badly managed Eurasian hotels,
certainly do not have little minds, if the
words of the Concord Deity be true. With
a bed of finest silk, with walls of gold
paper crossed by black lacquer, a ceiling
of age-darkened wood, with well-cooked,
palatable, though unknown food, found
the most perfect comfort at the fashionable
native hotel of Hanaya on the Naka no
Shima, an island in the river DojiI1a.
Rivers and canals are everywhere, but last
year there were not water-courses enough
to carry off the melted snow, and disas-
trous flood was the consequence.
The streets Of 0zaka are better, as far
as pavement is concerned, than any we
can show at home, and the highly deco
rated and begIlt EnrNmas rattle along with
a sound quite new to me. At the house of
Mr.. Araki, to whom | have u letter, ]
meet with a NEST cordial reception, and
am ushered into home-like room, where
the first things which attract my eye,
after a cup of cocoa is drank, is hand
sewing-machiue and parlor organ, and, as
these people are Christians, Bible
printed in japanese characters is on
small stand in the corner.
JAPANESE THEATRICAL TRAPPINGs
Ny host is part owner in large theater
and presently a stir in the adjoining room
announced the arrival of several large
packages, which being opened, displayed
some robes as bright as all the sunshine of
a summers day. have never seen such
magniteence, such dazzling combination
Of silver, gold and color; no part of the
material of which the robe is formed is
visible; actually every spot is covered with
embroidery in hundreds of different
stitches. Human figures, fully half life
size, are wrought with fine silk thread over
raised cushions, every muscle showing in
symmetrical roundness. each nail perfect,
almost even in texture; the hair is all but
real. Pearls or painted shells form the
eyes. Flowing water is represented, and
flowers, leaves and sea weed, also dragons
and fantastic figures of unknown position
in zoology. These robes are all very old,
but being of only pure material and best
workmanship, their appearance is as bright
to-day as when they come from the work
mans hands, in that long ago when Japan
was sealed book Near the house are
several large
FIREPRooF HOUSES
Into which | went, and there was piled
upon shelves or put away in baskets an I'M
believable mass of rich stutfs, some of which
were opened, and seemed to shed q light
of their own in the dim place others re-
vealed part of their beauties by an uncoy-
cred corner or torn wrapping. These fire.
proof houses are found connected with
every large establishment or house of
rich man for the poorer people there are
public buildings of the kind. OF course
with straw, wood and paper for the COM
mon building materials, and with the high
winds which are prevalent, fire is greatly
dreaded and daily expected. These store
houses are built OF stone or cement and of
great thickness in walls and tile roof the
few windows and doors are of iron, very
thick and close-ftting; while, to prevent
all possible danger, a sort of moist clay is
conveniently near with which to stop up
the interstices. A conhagration passes
over a whole city, leaving nothing but
these grim ediices standing; but the fire
god has been cheated of his prey, for in
side these smoke-stained walls are all the
valuables of the homeless family, ready TO
be used again, one bit at time, to deco
rate the new box which will soon take the
place of the old. The home life of a Japan
ese centers about his hibachi, or fire box.
and that, unlike our cheerful hearths,
being movable, a conhagration is not (seri-
Gus as it must be) the awful blotting out of
most sacred memories as it is in other
lands.
TIE THEATER APPOINTMENTS, ETC.
Going into the theater experience that
same feeling Of half awe. half disgust, that
the empty vastness and mysterious, dusky
recesses of deserted theater always pro-
duces upon me at home The arrange
ment of this stage is quite like the arrange
ment Ill America, drop curtain and flies
showing with familiar faces The audito-
rum, of course, being devoid of seats, or
rather chairs-since fool is seat in this
happy lands nothing more than a barn
in appearance, as it loses the warm effect
which is produced with us by rich uphol-
stering.
When a japanese has foreign guest he
is sure to take him to the bazaar the first
place of all, for he has learned the foreign
ers passion for buying, and knows that at
the bazaar, which every well regulated town
possesses, money is gotten rid of more
quickly, and after that sightseeing may
proceed uninterruptedly. Having thrown
away all my ballast Of gen, | started out
merrily with empty pockets, and as the
Latin reader has il, sang before the rob
bers."
CHRISTIANITY AND BEER
At luncheon | had very funny bit of
Information given me, and that was that a
Christian could not drink beer. Such
notion had never entered my head before.
until my Japanese friend refused a bottle
OF imported ale upon that ground Some
over-zealons missionary, one of those who
narrowly look at our glorious faith as a
matter of food, drink and dress, had told
HIM so. l hastened to say that knew but
ten commandments and even had hard
work 40 keep those, and those ten might
be simpliied by being given in the two
upon which We are taught to chang all
the law and the prophets" think his
teacher had done better and been more to
the point of truth had he told him that no
Christian ever laced his shoes with red
strings, for, much to my wonder, my friend
sporied veTmillion latchets, which, to nav
knowledge, are not accepted ~ orthodox
by any of the myriad sects.
STORY ABOUT THE MIKADo.
About the Kodzu Temple was told n
pretty story OF the good Mikado. as INV
friend called him. The temple is upon =
slight elevation, and the Mikado being
there one day, observed that no smoke was
visible in the village below; so he knew
his people must be poor, and he removed
their taxes for three years Cbad landIordl
and when his people were again prosper
Gus they voluntarily offered their titbes
and repaired the royal palace, which was
sadly out Of order. like such stories of
love between ruler and people-the old
patriarchal; l wish it were again among
us.
From the temple to the famous garden
l,,.